Best Amateur Sports League

RAD Dodgeball

Returning to middle school may not sound like your ideal Thursday night, but the organizers of the Recreational Adult Dodgeball (RAD) League in Oakland have worked hard to create a significantly more appealing recess experience — one suited for adults. The amateur sports league, which meets in the gym of Claremont Middle School in Rockridge, hosts Thursday league nights in which hundreds of players across eight teams square off in fifty-minute matches that closely resemble the dodgeball competitions of your childhood. Head shots are not allowed, and the RAD Leagues uses soft "no sting" balls designed to ensure the games are pain-free. The group also hosts open gym nights outside of the league, which can give interested participants a chance to try out the game and practice dodgeball skills before committing to a team. After game nights, players usually head to George and Walt's, a nearby sports bar, where teammates can focus on the primary mission of RAD Dodgeball — meeting new people and socializing.